Machine for forming concavities in the top surface of the sole of a made-up shoe or the like.



No. 845,440. PATENTED FEB.26,1907.

' J. STROOTMAN.

' MAGHINE FOR FORMING GONGAVITIES IN THE'TOP SURFACE OFTHE SOLE OF A MADE .UP SHOE OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JA N.1'2,1906.

' which will be fully and clearly hereinafter de- NTTFD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STROOTMAN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR FORMING CONCAVlTlES IN THE TOP SURFACE OF THE SOLE OF A MADE-UP SHOE OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed January 12, 1906. Serial No. 295,715.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN STROOTMAN, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State ofNew York, have invented a certain new and useful Machine for Forming Concavities in the Top Surface of the Sole of a Made-Up Shoe or the Like, of which the following is a sp ecification.

This invention relates to a machine for forming concavities in the top surface of the sole of a made-up shoe or the like; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient means capable of being operated by any shoe-salesman for removing a portion of the top surface of a shoe-sole, especially that portion beneath a troublesome corn or bunion or other tender spot on the wearers foot, and thereby alleviate the pain or soreness.

The invention also relates to certain details of construction of the machine, all of scribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred adaptation of the machine is shown.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine with a shoe in position thereon in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section on line a a, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the top porshown in Fig. 2.

tion of the machine on line a a, Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached face view of an I abrasive disk. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached back view of an abrasive disk. Fig. 7 is a detached face view of the top sprocket. Fig. 8 is a detached edge view of a knife-disk. Fig. l 9 is a detached face view of a knife-disk.

The invention embodies a frame which may be fastened to a counter or shelf in a shoe-store or other convenient or desirable locality, a concaving mechanism, and means for operating the concaving mechanism.

In the adaptation shown in the drawings the frame comprises a base 1,which is fastened to a counter 2 by bolts 3, and astandard 4, which extends upward tapers from the base to its upper extremity. The standard, it will be noted by reference to Fig. 1, is made sufficiently small at its upper end to fit easily within a shoe.

l I from the base and l The preferred construction of the top extremity of the standard is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, particularly Fig. 4, a portion being cut away on one side to provide a recess 5, in which a sprocket 6 is located. The sprocket is rotatably mounted on a screw 7, which is screwed into an opening in the reduced upper end 8 of the standard.

It will be noted by referring to the drawings' that when the machine is mounted in position the standard is approximately vertical, and the screw 7 extends at a slight angle from the horizontal, so that the sprocket 6 is inclined slightly from the vertical.

The sprocket 6 is provided with a series of recesses or holes 9 on its outer face, (see Fig. 6,) and a cone aving-tool is detachably secured to the outer face of the sprocket by fitting lateral projections on the inner face of the concaving-tool into said recesses or holes 9, as The concaving-tool may be either an abrasive grinder device or a cutting device. Illustrations of both styles are shown in the drawings.

The abrasive device, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, consists of a disk 11 of any abrasive material having a convex outer or "grinding surface 12, which is provided with a series of tiny curved ribs 13, which extend outwardly from the center to the outer edge of the disk, a metal backing-disk 14, having a flange 15, which surrounds the edge of the abrasive disk, and a series of lateral projections 16, which areforced from the metal 'of the metal disk and leave sockets or recesses in which lateral projections 17 on the inner face of the abrasive disk fit to unrotatably secure the abrasive disk to the metal disk. The purpose of the curved ribs 13 on the guiding-face of the disk is to provide means for preventing the collection on and adhesion to the surface of the disk of leather particles that would seriously interfere with the function of the grinding.

The cutting device, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, consists of a metal disk 18, having a series of lateral projections 19 on its rear face and a cutting-blade 20, detachably secured by screws 21 to its front face. The cuttingblade 20 is curved, so as to give it a fragmentary concave-convex form, (see Fig 8,) and its cutting edge is in straight. (See Fig. 9.)

part curvediand lin' 'part ciently at its upper extremity to extend within a shoe or the like, a concaving-tool The concaving-tool is rotated through the carried by said member and having a curved rotation of the upper sprocket 6, and the upper sprocket 6 is driven from a lower sprocket 22, mounted on one end of a. shaft 23, journaled in an intermediate portion of the standard 4. A crank 24, having a handle 25, is mounted at the opposite end of the shaft 23. The sprocket 6 is connected to the sprocket 22 by a chain 26, and the standard 4 is at least in part grooved to provide recesses 27 in the front face thereof, in which the chain travels for the purpose of preventing contact between the chain and shoe, and thus interfering with the action of the chain. The standard is also recessed to form a depression 28, in which the lower sprocket 22 is located, and said lower sprocket is housed within said depression by a plate 29, which. is detachably secured to the standard 4 by screws 30. (See Fig. 2.)

The operation of the machine is as follows: A shoe-purchaser complaining of a sore spot on the sole of his footsuch, for instance, as a bunionthe shoe-salesman locates the spot on the shoe-sole which would come immediately beneath the sore spot when the shoe is on the foot of the wearer and marks it in pencil on the bottom of the sole. Then the shoe is placed on the machine approximately as shown in Fig. 1 and is held in the desired position with one hand by the salesman while the handle 25 is turned by the other hand. The size and depth of the concavity can be easily estimated by the sales man after a little experience.

The machine, while principally adapted to be mounted in retail shoe-stores, may be set up and utilized with advantage in private homes.

It will be noted that the end of the standard that enters within the shoe is shaped so that it may be extended within said shoe completely up to the toe and that the concaving-tool is located at one side of the upper extremity of the machine, so that a concavity may be out beneath one of the toes of the wearer, if desired.

7 The chief advantages of this invention, aside from its novel purpose, reside in its comparative cheapness and simplicity, its great strength of structure and durability, and the quickness and convenience of its op eration, the shoe being held in position by one hand while the concaving mechanism is operated by the other tire operation is absolutely under the control of the operator.

I claim as my invention 1. In a machine for concaving the top surface of the sole of a shoe or the like, a frame including an upright member reduced suffihand, so that the en- I surface adapted surface of the sole of the shoe; said concaving-tool having a peripheral guard element to limit the depth of the concavity, and means for rotating said concaving-tool, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hand-machine for concaving the top surface of the sole of a shoe or the like, a frame including a rigid upright member reduced sufficiently at its upper extremity to extend within a shoe or the like, and upon which a shoe is adapted to be held by one hand of an operator, a rotatable concavingtool carried by said member and having its working face at one side of said member; said concaving-tool being adapted to operate against the top surface of the sole of the shoe and means adapted to be operated by the other hand of the operator for rotating said tool, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for concaving the top surface of the sole of a shoe or the like, the combination with a supporting member for a shoe or the like, of a concaving-tool having a curved surface constructed to form a concavity in the sole of a shoe and a peripheral guard adapted to limit the depth of the concavity, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine of the class described, a shoe-supporting member, and a rotary conoaving-tool having its axis approximately transverse to the general direction of said member and provided with a convexed working face approximately parallel with the general direction of said member.

5. In a machine of the class described, a shoe-supporting member, and a rotary concaving-tool mounted at the end of said member having its axis approximately transverse to the general direction of said member and provided with a convexed working face approximately parallel with the general direction of said member.

6. In a machine of the class described, a shoe-supporting member, and a rotary concaving-tool having its axis approximately transverse to the general direction of said member and provided with a convexed working face approximately parallel with the general direction of said member and means for limiting the depth of the concavity.

7. In a machine of the class described, a shoe-supporting member, and a rotary concaving-tool having its axis approximately transverse to the general direction of said member and provided with a Working face approximately parallel with the general direction of said member, and a guard element adapted to limit the entrance of the concaving-tool in the surface of the sole.

to operate against the top 8. In a machine for concaving the top sur Vided with a flange constructed to form a face of the sole of a shoe or the like, the com- I peripheral guard adapted to limit the depth bination with a supporting member for a l of the concavity, suhstantiallyas set forth.

shoe or the like, of a concaving-tool having a JOHN STROOTMAN. 5 curved surface constructed to form a concav- Witnesses: ity in the sole of a shoe and comprising an l L. M. SANGsTER,

abrasive disk and a metal backing-disk pro- GEO. A. NEUBAUER. 

